Crime After Crime

Debbie Peagler and her friend “Capone” Sibley killed Debbie’s abusive husband after years of violence, and she received 25 years to life. The socially conscious documentary details the efforts of Joshua Safran and Nadia Costa, a pair of pro bono defense lawyers, to show that the legal and prison systems are the real lawbreakers in Peagler’s case — the Los Angeles DA’s office misconduct and Debbie’s lung cancer also figure in it. Director Yoav Potash, who appears on camera, acts as a true advocate for the battered women’s movement in this involving doc. (93 min.)
ByKelly Vance